Apparatus for dyeing textile materials



Nov. 19, 1957 W. S. JOHNSON APPARATUS FOR DYEING TEXTILE MATERIALS Filed NOV. 3, 1955 EXPANSION I /2/ TANK DYE KIER W 34 -39 U F439 V j I H C158 2'5 mmusaon DYE men as TANK INVENTOR WILL/AM & Jam/501v ATTORNEY Uited tare atent O R APPARATUS FGR DYEING TEX'iHJE MATERIALS Wiliiam S. Johnson, Salisbury, N. C.

Application November 3, 1955, Serial No. 544,631

12 Claims. (Cl. 68-184) This invention relates to the fluid treatment of textile materials and more particularly to an apparatus for dyeing textile materials and incorporating manual or automatic control means for controlling the operation of the apparatus during dyeing operations.

This invention deals primarily with an apparatus for performing a dyeing operation which is commonly known in the art as package dyeing. This refers to dyeing operations wherein yarn or other textile materials are wound or otherwise formed into a particular package or shape, sometimes referred to as cheeses, which packages are placed in a suitable container frequently termed a kier and a dry bath circulated through the packages of textile materials in order to dye the same. The prior art dyeing apparatus has been provided with circulating pumps and control valves in order to circulate the dye bath in the desired manner and to add thereto certain chemicals or water, as may be required by the particular dyeing process and also, these prior art machines have incorporated means to reverse the direction of flow of the dye bath through the textile packages in the dye kier, in such a manner that the bath may flow from the inside of the packages outwardly, or from the outside of the packages through the textile materials inwardly.

While this prior art dyeing apparatus has, in certain instances, operated satisfactorily, nevertheless, the results obtained have in general, not been uniform and the color of the dyed materials has varied throughout such materials with the result that relatively large portions of the dye lots have been rejected or it has become necessary to re-dye the same, which, of course, results in a material increase in cost of production. Furthermore, these prior art dyeing machines have been extremely critical and difficult to operate, in that the settings of the various control valves must be exact in order to produce satisfactory results and it has also proved impossible to predetermine the settings of the various valves and as a consequence, operations of these prior art machines required the close attention of very highly skilled and trained operators.

The present invention involves a relatively minor modification of present dyeing apparatus and such modification may be conveniently made on existing machines or, of course, incorporated in new machines. With the inclusion of the modification of this invention, it has been found that operation of the dyeing apparatus becomes far less critical and that extremely satisfactory and uniform results have been obtained by the use of machines of dyeing apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention. As a consequence, the cost of production of dyed textile materials of the type under consideration has been materially reduced.

dyeing, operation and unless all of these winding-factors 2,813,4lh Patented Nov. 19, 1957 are maintained substantially uniform, the results of the dyeing operation are frequently unsatisfactory. By utilizing the present invention, however, the winding of the yarn has become far less critical and uniform and satisfactory dyeing results have been obtained without the necessity of extremely accurate control of the winding operation.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for dyeing textile materials in which a portion of all of the dye bath discharged from the dye kier may be returned as a positive flow to an expansion tank in which such returned dye bath mixes with the contents of such expansion tank and is recirculated through the dye kier.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus for dyeing textile materials in which means is provided in the form of a circulating pump and a fourway valve for circulating a dye bath through packages of textile materials disposed in a dye kier, either from the outside of such packages therethrough, or from the inside of such packages to the outside thereof and with a portion or all of the dye bath discharged from the dye kier returned to an expansion tank for mixing with the contents thereof and recirculation through the dye kier.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus for dyeing textile materials disposed in a dye kier and in which means is provided for controlling the degree of vacuum to which the materials are subjected during the dyeing operation.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus for dyeing textile materials in the form of packages disposed in a dye kier through which a dye bath is circulated and in which means is provided for controlling the pressure, rate of flow of the dye bath and the vacuum to which the textile materials are subjected during the dyeing operation.

A still further object of the invention. is the provision of an apparatus for dyeing textile materials, which materials are disposed in a dye kier for circulation of a dye bath therethrough and in which a portion or all of such bath discharged from the kier is returned to an expansion tank where additional chemicals, water or dye may be mixed therewith and the solution recirculated through the dye kier.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus for dyeing textile materials :in which such materials are disposed in a dye kier for circulation of a dye baththerethrough there being also provided a pair of reversible pumps having a common intake, which pumps are utilized for circulating and withdrawing dye bath from the dye kier, there being also provided means for controlling the vacuum to which the textile materials inthe dye kier are subjected.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus for dyeing textile materials, which materials are disposed in a dye kier for circulation of a dye bath therethrough and incorporating a pair of reversible pumps having a common intake for circulating and withdrawing a dye bath from the dye kier and in which means is also provided for returning a portion or all of the dye bath withdrawn from the dye kier to an expansion tank where such dye bath is mixed with the contents of the tank and re-circulated through the dye kier.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompany drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing an apparatus for dyeing textile materials constructed in accordance with this invention; and

Fig.2 a diagrammatic view showing a modified form of apparatus for dyeing textile materials and constructed in accordance with another phase ofthis invention.

With continued reference to the drawing and particularly Fig. 1, there is shown a dye kier which is of entirely conventional construction and is provided for receiving the materials to be dyed, which materials may .be in any suitable form, such as cheeses, or other well known forms and while this invention is primarily intended for the dyeing of textile materials in so-called packdye, certain chemicals and water, or in fact, any suitable dyeing solution for the particular material being treated :and the particular color desired. The expansion tank may also serve to add additional materials to the dye bath during the dyeing operation, if such is necessary or desirable in the particular process being utilized. As stated above, the dye kier and expansion tank are of entirely conventional construction and commonly used in the art and consequently, no detailed description thereof is considered necessary or desirable. I There is also provided a circulating pump 12 of any suitable conventional type and a four-way valve 13 which is utilized to control the flow of dye bath from the circulating pump through the dye kier. The pump 12 and four-way valve 13 are also of entirely conventional construction and a detailed description of the structure thereof is not considered necessary or desirable.

A feed conduit 14 is connected from the bottom of the expansion tank 11 to the intake of the pump 12 and a pipe 15 connects the discharge of the pump 12 to the four-way valve 13. A throttling valve 16 is provided in the pipe 15 in order to control the flow of the dye bath from the pump 12 to the four-way valve 13.

A dye bath supply conduit 17 connects the four-way valve 13 to the bottom of the dye kier 10 substantially centrally thereof and a second dye bath supply conduit .18 connects the four-way valve 13 to a peripheral portion of the dye kier 10 adjacent the bottom thereof.

A by-pass conduit 19 connects the four-way valve 13 with the intake of the pump 12 and a control valve 20 is provided in the by-pass conduit 19 for controlling the .flow of dye bath therethrough to the intake of the pump 12. A dye bath return pipe 21 is connected to the by-pass conduit 19 between the control valve 20 and the four- 'way valve 13 and the return pipe 21 is connected through a valve 22 with the upper portion of the expansion tank 11. A dye-bath overflow pipe 23 is also provided connecting the upper portion of the dye kier 10 with the upper portion of the expansion tank 11 and there is provided a valve 24 in the overflow pipe 23 for controlling the flow of dye bath therethrough, which valve must be closed during operation.

In the operation of the above described apparatus for dyeingtextile materials, such materials are disposed in the dye kier 10 in a conventional manner and a suitable dye bath or solution is placed in the expansion tank 11.

.The pump 12 is started and the throttling valve 16 is adjusted to provide the desired flow of dye bath from the expansion tank 11 to the four-way valve 13. Such four-way valve 13 may be set to cause a flow of dye bath through the supply conduit 17 to the bottom of the dye kier 10 adjacent the central portion thereof and such dye bath will flow through the materials disposed in the dye kier 119 from the inside to the outside of such materials and the dye bath will be discharged from the dye kier 10 through the second supply conduit 18 to the four-way valve 13. From the four-way valve 13 the dis- "charged dye bath will flow through the by-pass conduit after the flow of such discharged dye bath will be through 19 and depending upon the setting of control valve 20,

a portion or all of such discharged dye bath will flow through the by-pass conduit 19 to the intake of the pump .trolled.

12 and be recirculated through the dye kier 10. If the control valve 21) is set to permit a flow of only a portion of the dye bath or none of the dye bath to the intake of the pump 12, such flow will be through the return pipe 21 to the upper portion of the expansion tank 11 where such discharged dye bath will mix with the contents of the expansion tank 11 and be re-circulated through the feed conduit 14 to the pump 12 and thereafter to the dye kier 10. At this time, additional materials may be mixed in the expansion tank with the discharged dye bath from the return line 21, which results in a continuous control of the dyeing operation at all stages thereof.

The four-way valve 13 may also be set to provide a flow of dye-bath from the pump 12 through the supply conduit 13 and into the dye kier 10 at the outside of the extile materials disposed therein and such flow of dye bath within the dye kier 10 will be through the materials from the outside thereof to the center and the dye bath will be discharged from the dye kier 10 through the supply conduit 17 to the four-way valve 13 and therethe by-pass conduit 19 and either to the intake of the pump or according to the setting of control valve 20 through the return pipe 21 to the upper portion of the expansion tank 11 for mixing with the contents thereof and re-circulation through the dye kier 10 as described above.

It is to be noted, that by a proper setting of the valve 20 in the by-pass conduit 19 and the valve 22 in the return pipe 21, that a positive flow of dye bath dis- .charged from the dye kier 10 is provided into the expansion tank 11, whereas in the conventional dyeing apparatus of this type, the flow of dye bath from the dye kier 10 to the expansion tank 11 is in a more or less haphazard manner, through the overflow pipe 23. As a result of this positive flow through the return pipe 21 to the expansion tank 11, a more accurate control of the process is possible, since the exact quantity of dye bath returned to the expansion tank 11 may be controlled and consequently, the exact composition of the dye bath re-circulated through the kier lil may be accurately con- It is further to be noted, that adjustment of the control valve 20 in the by-pass conduit 19 results in controlling the vacuum to which the textile materials in the dye kier 10 are subjected and this results in a further control of the dyeing process which has not been .possible in prior art apparatus of this type.

The provision of the return line and the control valve in the bypass have resulted in providing an apparatus which will rapidly and satisfactorily dye textile materials of the type suitable for dyeing in an apparatus of this nature and it has been found that this apparatus provides extremely uniform and satisfactory results.

A modified form of the apparatus for dyeing textile materials constructed in accordance with this invention is shown in Fig. 2 and may well include a dye kier 25 similar to the dye kier 10 described above, and also an expansion tank 26 which is similar to the expansion tank 11 described above. There is also provided a pair of reversible circulating pumps 27 and 28 and such pumps are connected by a common intake 29 which is sometimes termed a Dutchman. The common intake 29 is connected to the bottom of the expansion tank 26 by a feed conduit 30.

A dye bath supply conduit 31 connects the discharge of pump 27 with the bottom of dye kier 25 substantially centrally thereof and throttling valve 32 is provided in the supply conduit 31 to control the flow of dye bath from the pump 27 to the dye kier 25. A dye bath return conduit 33 is connected to the supply conduit 31 between the throttling valve 32 and the dye kier 25 and is also connected through a valve 34 with the upper portion of expansion tank 26.

A second dye bath supply conduit 35 is connected from the discharge of pump 28 to a peripheral portion of the dye kier adjacent the bottom thereof and a second throttling valve 36 is provided in the supply conduit 35 for controlling the flow of the dye bath from the pump 28 to the dye kier 25. A second dye bath return conduit 37 is connected to the second dye bath supply conduit 35 between the second throttling valve 36 and the dye kier 25 and through a valve 38 with the upper portion of the expansion tank 26. A dye bath overflow pipe 39 connects the upper portion of the dye kier 25 with the upper portion of the expansion tank 26 through a control valve 40, which must be closed during operation.

In the operation of the modified form of apparatus shown in Fig. 2, the textile material to be dyed is placed in the dye kier 25 in the same manner as described above in connection with the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 and a suitable dye bath or solution is placed in the expansion tank 26. The pumps 27 and 28 are operated alternately in opposite directions with the pump 27 operating in such a manner that the intake 29 forms the suction side thereof and such intake 29, at the same time, provides the discharge line from idle pump 28. In this mode of operation, the dye bath from the expansion tank 26 flows through the feed conduit 30 to the pump 27 and through the supply conduit 31 to the bottom of the dye kier 25 centrally thereof. The throttling valve 32 is, of course, adjusted to provide the desired flow of dye bath through the supply conduit 31 to the dye kier 25. The dye bath flows through the textile materials in the dye kier 25 from the inside out, and is discharged through the second supply conduit 35 through pump 28' to the pump 27 for re-circulation through the dye kier 25. However, the second throttling valve 36 and the valve 38 may be so adjusted that a portion or all of the dye bath flowing from the dye kier 25 through the second supply conduit 35 will flow through the second return conduit 37 to the upper portion of the expansion tank 26 and this will, of course, be a positive flow, since the return conduit 37 is in effect, connected to the intake of the pump 27.

In the opposite mode of operation and with the pump 28 operating in the reverse direction, the common intake 29 becomes the suction side of the pump 28. The dye bath flows from the expansion tank 26 through the feed conduit 30 to the pump 28 and through the second supply conduit 35 to the dye kier 25. Flow through the supply conduit 35 is controlled by the throttling valve 36. The dye bath passes through the textile materials disposed in the dye kier 25 and is discharged therefrom through the supply conduit 31 to the pump 27 and through the intake 29 to the pump 28 for recirculation through the dye kier 25. However, by proper adjustment of the valves 32 and 34, a portion or all of the dye bath flowing from the dye kier 25 through the supply conduit 31 is forced through the return conduit 33 to the expansion tank 26 where such return dye bath is mixed with the contents of the expansion tank 26 and re-circulated through the dye kier 25.

As fully explained above in connection with the form of the invention shown in Fig. 1, the advantages of this apparatus arise from the fact that there is a positive controlled flow of dye bath provided from the dye kier 25 through either the return conduit 33 or the return conduit 37 to the expansion tank 26 and this results in a more simple and accurate control of the dyeing operation.

It will be seen that by the above described invention, there has been provided a relatively simple, yet highly eifective dyeing apparatus and one in which the improvements may be conveniently incorporated in existing apparatus or included in newly manufactured apparatus. In either case, the operation of the apparatus is the same and will provide the highly uniform and desirable results described above.

,It will be obvious to those skilledin the artthatvarious 3 changes may be made in the invention without depart ing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawing and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for dyeing textile materials, said apparatus comprising a dye kier for receiving textile materials to be dyed, an expansion tank for receiving and supplying a dye bath to said kier, a circulating pump, a feed conduit connected from the bottom of said expansion tank to the intake of said pump, a four-way valve, a pipe connecting the discharge of said pump to said fourway valve, a throttling valve in said pipe to control the flow of dye bath from said pump to said four-way valve, a dye bath supply conduit connecting said four-way valve and the bottom of said kier substantially centrally thereof, a second dye bath supply conduit connecting said fourway valve and a peripheral portion of said kier adjacent the bottom thereof, a by-pass conduit connecting said four-way valve and the intake of said pump, a control valve in said by-pass conduit, a dye bath return pipe connected to said by-pass conduit between said control valve and said fourway valve and to the upper portion of said expansion tank, a valve in said return pipe, a dye bath overflow pipe connecting the upper portion of said kier and the upper portion of said expansion tank and a valve in said overflow pipe whereby said four-way valve may be set to supply dye bath to said kier through either said first or second supply conduit, the return flow from said kier being through the other'of said first or second supply conduits to said four-way valve and by-pass conduit to the intake of said pump or partially or wholly through said return pipe to said expansion tank, depending upon the setting of said control valve and the valve in said return pipe to provide a positive return flow of dye bath to said expansion tank for mixing with the contents thereof and re-circulation through said apparatus.

2. Apparatus for dyeing textile materials, said apparatus comprising a dye kier for receiving textile materials to be dyed, an expansion tank for receiving and supplying a dye bath to said kier, a circulating pump, a feed conduit connected from the bottom of said expansion tank to the intake of said pump, a four-way valve, a pipe connecting the discharge of said pump to said four way valve, means to control the flow of dye bath from said pump to said four-way valve, a dye bath supply conduit connecting said four-way valve and the bottom of said kier substantially centrally thereof, a second dye bath supply conduit connecting said four-way valve and a peripheral portion of said kier adjacent the bottom thereof, a bypass conduit connecting said four-way valve and the intake of said pump, a control valve in said bypass conduit, a dye bath return pipe connected to said by-pass conduit between said control valve and said four-way valve and to the upper portion of said expansion tank, a valve in said return pipe, a dye bath overflow pipe connecting the upper portion of said kier and the upper portion of said expansion tank and a valve in said overflow pipe whereby said four-way valve may be set to supply dye bath to said kier through either said first or second supply conduit, the return flow from said kier being through the other of said first or second supply conduit to said four-way valve and by-pass conduit to the intake of said pump or partially or wholly through said return pipe to said expansion tank depending upon the setting of said control valve and the valve in said return pipe to provide a positive return flow of dye bath to said expansion tank for mixing with the contents thereof and re-circulation through said apparatus.

3. Apparatus for dyeing textile materials, said apparatus comprising a dye kier for receiving textile materials to be dyed, an expansion tank for receiving and supplying a dye bath to said kier, a circulating pump, a feed "conduit connected from the. bottom of said expansion.

tank to the intake of said pump, a four-way valve, a pipe connecting the discharge of said pump to said fourway valve, means to control the flow of dye bath from said pump to said four-way valve, a dye bath supply conduit connecting said four-way valve and the bottom of said kier substantially centrally thereof, a second dye bath supply conduit connecting said four-way valve and a peripheral portion of said kier adjacent the bottom thereof, a by-pass conduit connecting said four-way valve and the intake of said pump, a control valve in said by-pass conduit, a dye bath return pipe connected to said by-pass conduit between said control valve and said four-way valve and to said expansion tank, a valve in said return pipe, a dye bath overflow pipe connecting the upper portion of said kier and said expansion tank and a valve in said overflow pipe whereby said four-way valve may be set to supply dye-bath to said kier through either said first or second supply conduit, the return flow from said kier being through the other of said first or second supply conduits to said four-way valve and bypass conduit to the intake of said pump or partially or wholly through said return pipe to said expansion tank depending upon the setting of said control valve and the valve in said return pipe to provide a positive return flow of dye bath to said expansion tank for mixing with the contents thereof and re-circulation through said apparatus.

4. Apparatus for dyeing textile materials, said apparatus comprising a dye kier for receiving textile materials to be dyed, an expansion tank for receiving and supplying a dye bath to said kier, a circulating pump, a feed conduit connected from the bottom of said expansion tank to the intake of said pump, a four-way valve, a pipe connecting the discharge of said pump to said fourway valve, means to control the flow of dye bath from said pump to said four-Way valve, a dye bath supply conduit connecting said four-way valve and the bottom of said kier substantially centrally thereof, a second dye bath supply conduit connecting said four-way valve and a peripheral portion of said kier adjacent the bottom thereof, a by-pass conduit connecting said four-way valve and the intake of said pump, a control valve in said by-pass conduit, a dye bath return pipe connected to said by-pass conduit between said control valve and said four-way valve and to said expansion tank and a valve in said return pipe whereby said four-way valve may be set to supply dye bath to said kier through either said first or second supply conduit, the return flow from said kier being through the other of said first or second supply conduits to said four-way valve and by-pass conduit to the intake of said pump or partially or wholly through said return pipe to said expansion tank depending upon the setting of said control valve and the valve in said return pipe to provide a positive return flow of dye bath to said expansion tank for mixing with the contents thereof and re-circulation through said apparatus.

5. Apparatus for dyeing textile materials, said apparatus comprising a dye kier for receiving textile ma terials to be dyed, an expansion tank for receiving and supplying a dye bath to said kier, a circulating pump, a feed conduit connected from said expansion tank to the intake of said pump, a four-way valve, a pipe connecting the discharge of said pump to said four-Way valve, means to control the flow of dye bath from said pump to said four-way valve, a dye bath supply conduit connecting said four-way valve and the bottom of said kier substantially centrally thereof, a second dye bath supply conduit connecting said four-way valve and a peripheral portion of said kier adjacent the bottom thereof, a by-pass conduit connecting said four-way valve and the intake of said pump, a control valve in said by-pass conduit, a dye bath return pipe connected to said by-pass conduit between said control valve and said four-way valve and to said expansion tank and a valve in said return pipe whereby said four-Way valve may be set to supply dye bath to said kier through either said first or second supply conduit, the return'flew from Said kier being thr ugh he other of sai first or second supply conduits to said four-way valve and bypass conduit to the intake of said pump or partia ly Q whol y hro gh said return pipe to said expansi ntank depending p n. he setting of said ontrol valve an the valve in said return pipe to provide a positive return flow of dye bath to said expansion tank for mixing with the contents thereof and re-circulationthrough said apparatus.

6. in an apparatus .for dyeing textile materials, said apparatus comprising a dye kier for receiving textile materials to be dyed, an expansion :tank for receiving and supplying :a dye Ebath to said kier, a circulating means, a feed conduit connected from said expansion tank to the intake of said circulating means,'a dye hath supply and return conduit connecting Said circulating means and the bottom of said kier substantially centrally thereof, a second dye hath supply and return condui connecting :said circulating means and a :peripheral portion of said kier adjacent the bottom thereo dye bath "return means connected to said supply and return conduits and said expansion tank and valve control means for said supply .andreturn conduits including a throttling valve between said circulating me ns an said kier and said return means whereby dye bath may be supplied to said kier through either of said supply and return conduits and discharged from said ,kier through the other of said conduits, a portion or all of said discharged dye bath being returned in a positive flow through said return means to said expansion tank for mixing with the contents thereof and refcirculation through said apparatus.

7. Apparatus for dyeing textile materials, said apparatus comprising a dye kier for receiving textile materials to be dyed, an expansion tank for receiving and supplying'a dye bath to said kier, a pair of reversible circulating pumps, a common intake for said'pumps, a feed conduit connected from the bottom of said expansion tank to said intake, a dye bath supply and return conduit connecting the discharge of one pump and the bottom of said kier substantially centrally thereof, a throttling valve in said supply conduit, a dye bath return conduit connected to said supply and return conduit between said throttling valve and said kier and to the upper portion of said expansion tank, a valve in said return conduit, a second dye bath supply and return conduit connecting the discharge of the other pump and a peripheral portion of said kier adjacent the bottom thereof, a second throttling valve in said second supply conduit, a second dye bath return conduit connected to :said second supply and return conduit between said second throttling valve and said kier and to the upper portion of said expansion tank, a second valve in said second return conduit, a dye bath overflow pipe connecting the upper portion of said kier and the upper portion of said expansion tank and a control valve in said overflow pipe whereby upon operation of said one pump in one direction while said other pump idles the dye bath will flow through said first supply and return conduit to said kier and from said kier through said second supply and return conduit to said other pump and upon operating said other pump in the opposite direction a flow of dye bath through said first and second supply and return conduits will be reversed, a portion or all of the .dye bath flowing through either of said supply and return conduits from said kier flowing through said first or second return conduits to said expansion tank to provide a positive return flow of dye bath to said expansion tank for mixing with the contents thereof and re-circulation through said apparatus, the rate of flow through said first or second return conduits being controlled by said first or second throttling valves respectively.

"8. Apparatus for dyeing textile materials, said apparatus comprising a dye kier for receiving textile ma: terials to be dyed, an expansion tank for receiving and supplying a dye bath to said kier, a pair of reversible circulating pumps, a common intake for said pumps, a feed conduit connected from said expansion tank to said intake, adye bath supply and return, conduit connecting the discharge of one pump andythe bottom of said kier substantially centrally thereof, a throttling valve in said supply and return conduit, adye bath, return conduit connected to said supply and return, conduit between said throttling valve and said kier and to the upper portion of said expansion tank, a valve in said return conduit, a second dyebath supply and return conduit connecting the discharge of the other pump and a peripheral portion of said kier adjacent the bottom thereof, a second throttling valve in said second supply and return conduit, a second dye bath return conduit connected to said second supply and return conduit between said second throttling valve and said kier and into the upper portion of said expansion tank, a second valve in said second return conduit, a dye bath overflow pipe connecting the upper portion of said kier and the upper portion of said expansion tank and a control valve in said overflow pipe whereby upon operation of said one pump in one direction while said other pump idles the dye bath will flow through said first supply and return conduit to said kier and from said kier through said second supply and return conduit to said other pump and upon operating said other pump in the opposite direction the flow of dye bath through said first and second supply and return conduits will be reversed, a portion or all of the dye bath flowing through either of said supply and return conduits from said kier flowing through said first or second return conduits to said expansion tank to provide a positive return flow of dye bath to said expansion tank for mixing with the contents thereof and re-circulation through said apparatus, the rate of fiow through said first or second return conduits being controlled by said first or second throttling valves respectively.

9. Apparatus for dyeing textile materials, said apparatus comprising a dye kier for receiving textile materials to be dyed, an expansion tank for receiving and supplying a dye bath to said kier, a pair of reversible circulating pumps, a common intake for said pumps, a feed conduit connected from said expansion tank to said intake, a dye bath supply and return conduit connecting the discharge of one pump and the bottom of said kier substantially centrally thereof, a throttling valve in said supply conduit, a dye bath return conduit connected to said supply and return conduit between said throttling valve and said kier and to said expansion tank, a valve in said return conduit, a second dye bath supply and return conduit connecting the discharge of the other pump and a peripheral portion of said kier adjacent the bottom thereof, a second throttling valve in said second supply and return conduit, a second dye bath return conduit connected to said second supply and return conduit between said second throttling valve and said kier and to said expansion tank, a second valvein said second return conduit, a dye bath overflow pipe connecting the upper portion of said kier and the upper portion of said expansion tank and a control valve in said overflow pipe whereby upon operation of said one pump in one direction while said other pump idles the said dye bath will flow through said first supply and return conduit to said kier and from said kier through said second supply and return conduit to said other pump and upon operating said other pump in the opposite direction the flow of dye bath through said first and second supply and return conduits will be reversed, a portion or all of the dye bath flowing through either of said supply and return conduits from said kier flowing through said first or second return conduits to said expansion tank to provide a positive return flow of dye 10 bath to said expansion tank for mixing with the con tents thereof and re-"circu'lation through said apparatus, the rate of flow through said first or second return conduits being controlled by said first or second throttling valves respectively.

10; Apparatus for dyeing textile materials, said apparatus comprising a dye kier for receiving textile materials to be dyed, an expansion tankfor receiving and supplying a dye bath to said kier, a pair of reversible circulating pumps, a common intake for said pumps, a feed conduit cemented from Said expansion tank to said intake, a dye bath supply and return conduit connect ing the discharge of one pump and the bottom of said kier substantially centrally thereof, a throttling valve in said supply and return conduit, a dye bath return con du'it connected to said supply and return conduit be tween said throttling valve and said kier and to said expansion tank, a valvemin, said return conduit, a second dye bath supply and return conduit connecting, the discharge of the other pump and a peripheral portion of said kier adjacent the bottom thereof, a second throttling valve in said second supply and return conduit, a second dye bath return conduit connected to said second supply and return conduit between said second throttling valve and said kier and to said expansion tank and a second valve in said return conduit whereby upon operation of said one pump in one direction while said other pump idles the dye bath will flow through said first supply and return conduit to said kier and from said kier through said second supply and return conduit to said other pump and upon operating said other pump in the opposite direction the flow of dye bath through said first and second supply and return conduits will be reversed, a portion or all of the dye bath flowing through either of said supply and return conduits from said kier flowing through said first or second return conduits to said expansion tank to provide a positive return flow of dye bath to said expansion tank for mixing with the contents thereof and re-circulation through said apparatus, the rate of flow to said first or second return conduits being controlled by said first or second throttling valves respectively.

11. Apparatus for dyeing textile materials, said apparatus comprising a dye kier for receiving textile materials to be dyed, an expansion tank for receiving and supplying a dye bath to said kier, a pair of reversible circulating pumps, a common intake for said pumps, a feed conduit connected from said expansion tank to said intake, a dye bath supply and return. conduit connecting the discharge of one pump and the bottom of said kier substantially centrally thereof, a throttling valve in said supply and return conduit, a. dye bath return conduit connected to said supply and return conduit between said throttling valve and said kier and to said expansion tank, a second dye bath supply and return conduit connecting the discharge of the other pump and a peripheral portion of said kier adjacent the bottom thereof, a second throttling valve in said second supply and return conduit and a second dye bath return conduit connected to said second supply and return conduit between said second throttling valve and said kier and to said expansion tank whereby upon operation of said one pump in one direction while said other pump idles the dye bath will flow through said first supply and return conduit to said kier and from said kier through said second supply and return conduit to said other pump and upon operating said other pump in the opposite direction the flow of dye bath through said first and second supply and return conduits will be reversed, a portion or all of the dye bath flowing through either of said supply and return conduits from said kier flowing through said first or second return conduits to said expansion tank to provide a positive return flow of dye bath to said expansion tank for mixing with the contents thereof and're-circulation through said apparatus, the rate of flow through said first or second return conduits being controlled by said first or second throttling valves respectively.

12. Apparatus for dyeing textile materials, said apparatus comprising a dye kier for receiving textile materials to be dyed, an expansion tank for receiving and supplying a dye bath to said kier, a 'pair of reversible circulating pumps, a common intake for said pumps, a feed conduit connected from said expansion tank to said intake, a dye bath supply and return conduit con necting the discharge of one pump and the bottom of said kier substantially centrally thereof, a throttling valve in said supply and return conduit, a second dye bath supply and return conduit connecting the discharge of the other pump and a peripheral portion of said kier adjacent the bottom thereof, a second throttling valve in said second supply and return conduit whereby upon operation of said one pump in one direction while said "other pump idles the dye bath will flow through said first supply and return conduit to said kier and from said kier through said second supply and return conduit to said other pump and upon operating said other pump in the opposite direction flow of dye bath through said first and second supply and return conduits will be reversed and means for positively returning a portion or all of the dye bath flowing from said kier through said supply and return conduits to said expansion tank for mixing with the contents thereof and re-circulation through said apparatus.

References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,799,421 Hornbuckle Apr. 7, 1931 2,087,308 Stienen July 20, 1937 2,225,350 Rankin Dec. 17, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS 335,306 Italy Feb. 4, 1936. 

